Thankful For Stains???

Thanksgiving is almost upon us here in the U.S., so I wanted to make one more project before I dive extremely deep into Christmas, and since Ranger has just announced more Stain releases, I thought it would be fun to use lots of Stains in this project, and use them for stamping.

Using a Ranger Inkssentials Manila tag (#10) and Tim's Stamper's Anonymous Falling Leaves Stamp Set, I stamped one of the leaf images using Distress Stain in Spiced Marmalade. After stamping it once, I stamped it two more times without reapplying...there is plenty of Stain still left to stamp. I love that about stamping with Stains. I dried this with my heat tool.

Using another leaf image, I stamped it three times with Mustard Seed Stain. I dried this.

Another leaf image equals another triple stamping, but this time with Barn Door Stain. I love that you can see the veins and detail of these stamps even though Stains are used instead of ink. I dried this as well.

Using a small leaf image, I stamped several using Tarnished Brass Metallic Distress Stain, and I filled in all the empty spots. I did have to reapply the Stain this time. The sheen is fabulous. I love the Metallic Stains! One more drying, and now it's time to ink.

I lightly inked the the whole tag with Walnut Stain Distress Ink to further my Autumn color palette.

I used a paper towel and rubbed each leaf to get the ink off of the leaves, to reveal my bright color again. I gave this another drying.

I decided this needed a little green hue, so I inked the open spots only with Bundled Sage Distress Ink, and used this to ink the edges of the tag as well.

I wanted more sheen, so I misted Sunflower Sparkle Perfect Pearls Mist (My favorite!) over the entire tag.

Before I finished the outside, I decided the inside needed a little something special, so I stamped Tim's Thankful words in Sepia Archival. I added a piece of scrap paper to this so I could jot a little message down for my recipient.

Back to the front again, I stamped the Blueprint Acorn image in Coffee Archival, and then poured Vintage Photo Distress Embossing Powder on this. I poured the extra off and heat embossed. Distress Powder is difficult to tell if it's melted, but the color does change slightly to a darker hue when it's ready. You can heat this stuff forever though without hurting a thing...love that! When it cooled, I rubbed the image lightly to release the loose particles, which gave this image a vintage feel.

I love Tim's new Seasonal Trims. The Thanksgiving one was perfect for this tag's hole. I even made sure I picked the part of the ribbon that read Thanksgiving, so it could be seen. I used the Tiny Attacher to fix the ribbon in place, but I didn't like the silver with all the gold I already had on the tag, so I used a Gold Sharpie to color the staples. Love this! And shocked as you might be, but I thought this tag needed nothing else. Simple yet filled with gorgeous Autumn color!

 Supplies:


I hope your hands get creatively dirty soon!

Have A Heart For Christmas!

I love it when a project comes together very easily, that you design around several challenges. I made this one in about an hour and a half yesterday, and that rarely happens. It usually takes me much longer, and I find myself being indecisive at every turn. I think the Christmas theme makes projects easier for me...although I don't know why, aside from the fact that I love crafting during this time of the year more than any other time. Most everything is sparkly yet vintage and full of tradition this time of year, and I love that!

Anyway, back to the challenges. I originally started this piece for the Everything Wendy Vecchi Yahoo Group's, Making Art Challenge. It's from Wendy's Book 4, pg. 30 for "Using Gesso For Texture", but once I got going, I decided to incorporate The Compendium of Curiousities II Challenge from Tim's Book (same name) pg. 65 for "Reflections Stamping", which is being sponsored by Simon Says Stamp, and the Sunday Stamper challenge for "Birds". However, this morning brought the Simon Says Stamp & Show challenge, which  is "Stamping With No Ink", and it just so happens that a lot of that is used here, so I am throwing my hat in that ring too. And, that's enough!

The base heart was painted with Ranger's Pearl Paint Dabber.

I stamped Wendy's ticking image in Silver Paint Dabber.

When everything was dried, I taped down Dyan's Snowflake Stencil and pounced Claudine's Gesso into it. I did this all over the heart. And just so you know, I am a bad stenciler...very sloppy!

I painted the corner piece parts with Silver Paint Dabber...

...the stars with Pearl...

...and the flowers with Stain.

I also stamped the flower's with Barn Door Stain.

Gold Stickles were added to the centers of the flowers, and Rock Candy Crackle Paint to the Stars, followed by Pumice Stone Distress Ink  when they dried.

I stamped the numbers in Pearl onto the corner pieces.

The leaves were colored with Mowed Lawn Distress Ink straight from the pad, and then misted with Sour Apple Perfect Pearls.

Then they were stamped with the dots in Pearl.

I stamped the White Clearly For Art with the Stampers Anonymous Newsy Bird. I cut it out, and heated it with my heat gun to soften the parts I wanted to shape!

I used Tim's technique for the Reflections Christmas Words Image, and adhered it to the back of the heart. I used Silver Stickles to dress up my Gesso'd snowflakes, and then added Dresden Foil, the Art Parts, and Baubles, along with the plumber's chain.

 

 

Supplies:
From My Stash: acetate sheet, bell, plumber's chain


I hope your hands get creatively dirty soon!